# Could OSHA (USA) Wind Up Regulating Football?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-osha-usa-wind-up-regulating-football/622637>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [May 21, 2012, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-osha-usa-wind-up-regulating-football/622637 "2012-05-21T18:26:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\
**Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-osha-usa-wind-up-regulating-football/622637/1 "2012-05-21T18:26:19Z")

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American football is a game that has become increasingly dangerous-it has been found that ex-players begin to show signs of brain damage (from concussions) soon after they retire. I read of a Boston forensic doctor who has examined the brains of deceased players-he found that concussions cause severe damage to the brain, and this damage is often so serious that men as young as 40 have the brains of a 95 year old.  
My question: the US has the Federal OSHA agency (which investigates workplace safety conditions-if football is found to be hazardous, could OSHA regulate it?  
Or are work conditions (of football players) governed by contract, and so OSHA would have no jurisdiction over it?